I am in the market for a smart speaker. While the HomePod is now dated it seems the best on the market in terms of sound and Siri integration. Hearing a 2nd gen speaker is in the works but it will be cheaper and with less impressive audio. Should I get a current HomePod or wait?
BestBuy has the current gen for $199, I’d say buy several.
I have several current gen, and they sound really good.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-homepod-space-gray/5902410.p?skuId=5902410
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Is the HomePod any good?! It’s about the only piece of Apple equipment I do not own!
I LOVE mine. I have 5 of them through the house and a few stereo pairs also. While I am not going to sit and compare them to pro speakers that cost thousands of dollars, I have had most of the alternatives (Bose, Sonos etc), and I think they sound significantly better. A do feel a stereo pair is significantly better than a single speaker.
Yes, I really like mine, and they sound really good. I have 3 individuals, and a stereo pair (so 5 total). Friends are amazed at their sound given their size, which comes down to not have the drivers mounted in a big honking box. The seven tweeter array adds to the ‘sound stage’. In addition to all that, the speaker uses it’s microphones to adjust the sound based on its location (i.e. on a bookshelf, in a corner, etc.).
I listen to all kinds of music (jazz, r&b, funk, house, classical, opera, pop, that is, everything but country), and they do not disappoint, and handle Barbara Hendricks singing Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 as easily as Parliament’s Flashlight, Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein, Opiuo’s Jelly, Max Richter’s Memoryhouse, etc.
So, yes, they are any good 
They are more gooder at $199.
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I’ve got two HomePods, love them. Really excellent sound, and Siri works well for directing music and the normal things I do with it: timers, alarms, getting weather news, podcast episodes and radio stations (courtesy of a deal Apple made with TuneIn and iHeartRadio).
Although Siri works great I tend to use Apple Music by checking out new releases, and playlists from friends, so when I’m playing music I tend to be casting from my iPhone.
I don’t know what a HomePod mini would offer beside a lower price - battery power? improved touch control? But if you’re fine with an always-on, AC-powered music speaker with some smarts in it, the HomePod at $200 is a good choice and I’m pretty satisfied with mine.
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For some reason the sales in the USA never correspond with sales in Canada. I’ve never seen one for less than $300 USD. 
It’s because you have better healthcare.
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The only stores in the US that ever discounted the HomePod have been Best Buy and Target, and I think Target only discounted to $250. (I bought a black unit from them at that price, they sent the wrong color, I sent it back, then sent me another one in the wrong color… then offered me a $50 credit if I kept it, so I did. Turns out white looks better in my living room anyway. 
)
Does Best Buy US ship to Canada? US $200 is something like CAD $265.
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@JohnAtl Hah! Ergo I should be able to ruin my hearing with HomePods…
It’s actually a weird product category for this. Most other Apple products go on sale at the same time in the US and Canada. Can’t explain it
@bowline That’s an idea. I’ll check, but I imagine shipping and customs will account for the difference…
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They are great, and stereo pairs are better. We’ve got one pair in the office and one pair either side of our TV (with attached Apple TV, obviously).
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Have multiple HomePods and very happy with them. They are good for day to day Siri use and casual listening to podcasts and background music.
They really shine in stereo pairs in small to medium sized rooms though and seem like to come to life in another dimension. I use a stereo pair in my study for all imaginable purposes. Conference calls, Teams calls, Podcasts, Radio, watching AppleTV, Homekit announcements or just listen to music.
Given the current price drop, I’d say step in. 2nd Gen models will likely start at a higher price point or be smaller (which will impact spatial volume)
FYI HomePod replacements are rumored to be just days away, perhaps coming as soon as tomorrow.